Electromagnetic articulography: use of alternating magnetic fields for tracking movements of multiple points inside and outside the vocal tract

The purpose of this paper is to present a new electromagnetic device which uses alternating magnetic fields for tracking movements of multiple points inside and outside the vocal tract. It is biologically safe, noninvasive, it does not interfere with speech movements, allows for multiple recording in the same subject, and for easy collection of large amounts of data. It is especially suitable for evaluation of patients with speech motor impairments.     

Clinical trial of contemnol tablets (lithium retard Spofa)

A report on the clinical testing of the lithium-retard medicament Contemnol (Spofa). It details the way lithium-retard treatment is objectively and subjectively superior to the earlier and still current general lithium treatment.     

Status of perfusion scintigraphy in the diagnostic strategy in cerebrovascular disorders and space-occupying lesions

The results of an evaluation of the perfusion scintigraphy findings of 350 hospitalised neurological patients and 55 more strictly selected neurosurgical patients with cerebrovascular complaints, revealed an accuraty of 83%, a sensitivity of 89%, and a specificity of 83%. The selection of the patients had no influence on the results as a whole. Compared with contrast-medium angiography, incorrect diagnosis must be expected in 17% of the cases. This includes erroneous negative findings in 10% of the cases. Grounds for misinterpretations are suggested, and the biological and methodological limitations of the method are set forth.     

汉字词笔划数对短时记忆容量的影响

短时记忆容量的测量有两种主要观点,即组块说和复诵回路说。本报告通过三项实验表明对汉字词短时记忆容量的测量应考虑字词的笔划复杂性。实验一使用频率相同的少笔划和多笔划汉字相比较,笔划少的字比笔划多的字记忆广度大;实验二用笔划数相近但音节长度不同的日本汉字相比较,发现音节长短对容量影响无显著差别;第三项实验是语音掩蔽对汉字词视听短时记忆的影响。结果表明视、听容量都下降,但视觉仍比听觉好。再一次指出汉字词短时记忆容量的测量应考虑其视觉特点。最后对汉字词笔划复杂性影响短时记忆容量的可能原因进行了讨论。     

Arthur Kronfeld (1886-1941)--a psychiatrist in the service of psychotherapy

The psychotherapeutic life-work of psychiatrist Arthur Kronfeld has almost fallen into oblivion. Against the background of the 100th anniversary of his birth the author traces Kronfeld's psychotherapeutic career, pointing out his activity at the Berliner "Institute of Sexual Research" under Magnus Hirschfeld, and his psychotherapeutic concept--the psychagogic guidance of the patient--and its connection with the individual psychology of Alfred Adler. Kronfeld translated his theoretical positions into activities directed towards socialization and the teachability of psychotherapy which are still worthy of note by those engaged in the field.     

Results of neurophysiologic studies in ophthalmic migraine

The influence in 8 of our patients with ophthalmic migraine of photic driving with sine-like flashing lights on EEG background activity was checked and the visually evoked potentials following the application of diffused simple light stimuli were analyzed using the recovery cycle technique. The results indicate a slightly increased tonic activity of the structures of the mesencephalic formatio reticularis, such as may be produced by slight functional disturbances. Some vegetative secondary symptoms of migraine attacks and some of the changes in EEG observed in patients with ophthalmic migraine are explicable by such an abnormality.     

Behavior of visual evoked potentials (pattern reversal VECP) in smokers

Twenty six clinically healthy smokers were studied with transient pattern visual-evoked potentials. In comparison with a sample of "normal" subjects we found a difference of some parameters (P less than 0.05): the P2-latency and the interocular difference of latency on average were 6-7 ms respectively 2 ms larger. Thirteen subjects have had a prolonged P2-latency (P less than 0.05) and/or a difference in interocular latencies larger than 5 ms. These findings may suggest on subclinical disturbances of visual system and indicators of an special sensitivity of that person. The findings are possibly related to tobacco-alcohol amblyopia.